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Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Boys & Girls Clubs of America (or BGCA) is a national organization whose mission is to "enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens." The organization, which holds a congressional charter under Title 36 of the United States Code, has its headquarters in Atlanta, with regional offices in Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, New York City and Los Angeles. BGCA is tax-exempt and partially funded by the federal government.

History
The first Boys' Club was founded in 1860 in Hartford, Connecticut. In 1906, 53 independent Boys' Clubs came together in Boston to form a national organization, the Federated Boys' Clubs. In 1931, the organization renamed itself Boys' Clubs of America, and in 1990, to Boys & Girls Clubs of America. There are currently (2010) over 4,000 autonomous local Clubs, which are affiliates of the national organization. In total these Clubs serve over four million boys and girls. Clubs can be found in all fifty states as well as locations in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and US Military Bases. In total, Boys & Girls Clubs of America employ about 50,000 staff members.

Statistics: Member percentages as of 2010:
 * 65% are from minority families
 * 5% are 5 years old and under
 * 43% are 6–10 years old
 * 19% are 11–12 years old
 * 21% are 13–15 years old
 * 12% are 16–18 years old
 * 55% are male
 * 45% are female.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy ranked Boys & Girls Clubs of America number one among youth organizations for the 13th consecutive year, and number 12 among all nonprofit organizations. The Boys & Girls Clubs of America are the official charity of Major League Baseball. Denzel Washington, a former Club member, has been the spokesperson for Boys & Girls Clubs of America since 1993. In March 2010, four US Senators questioned the non-charitable spending and compensation practices of the BGCA, citing the charity CEO Roxanne Spillett's total 2008 compensation of nearly $1 million and $4.3 million in travel expenses incurred by the organization that year.

Founding Fathers
These men came together in 1956 to create the "Boys Clubs of America":
 * Herbert Hoover, 31st President of the United States
 * William E. Hall, U.S. Medal of Honor
 * Albert L. Cole, G.M. Reader's Digest
 * James A. Farley, United States Postmaster General
 * Albert C. Wedemeyer U.S. Army Chief of Plans & Operations
 * Matthew Woll, V.P. of AFL-CIO
 * Jeremiah Milbank Jr., 2 time Republican Party Finance Committee Chairman
 * Stanley Resor, Secretary of the Army
 * James B. Carey, President of AFL-CIO
 * J. Edgar Hoover, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
 * Lewis L. Strauss, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission
 * Robert E. Wood, quartermaster general of the army, V.P. of Sears
 * Fred C. Church Jr., Insurance Businessman.
 * H. Bruce Palmer, President of the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company
 * Edgar A. Guest, TV and Radio host
 * Nicholas H. Noyes Indianapolis, Indiana
 * George A. Scott, President, Walker-Scott Company
 * E. E. Fogelson, Army Colonel & Cattle-Oil Baron
 * Ernest Ingold, San Francisco, California
 * Jesse Draper, Atlanta, Georgia
 * Julius Epstein, Chicago, Illinois.

Their successors in the Boys & Girls Clubs of America:
 * Gerald W. Blakeley, Jr., Boston, Massachusetts
 * Roscoe Brown, Bronx, New York
 * Cees Bruynes, Stamford, Connecticut
 * Honorable Arnold I. Burns, New York, New York
 * John L. Burns, Greenwich, Connecticut
 * Hays Clark, Hobe Sound, Florida
 * Mrs. Albert L. Cole, Hobe Sound, Florida
 * Mike Curb, Burbank, California
 * Robert W. Fowler, Atlantic Beach, Florida
 * Thomas G. Garth, New York, New York
 * Moore Gates, Jr., Princeton, New Jersey
 * Ronald J. Gidwitz, Chicago, Illinois
 * John S. Griswold, Greenwich, Connecticut
 * Claude H. Grizzard, Atlanta, Georgia
 * George V. Grune, Pleasantville, New York
 * Peter L. Haynes, New York, New York
 * James S. Kemper, Northbrook, Illinois
 * Plato Malozemoff, New York, New York
 * Edmund O. Martin, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
 * Donald E. McNicol, New York, New York
 * Carolyn P. Millbank, Greenwich, Connecticut
 * Jeremiah Milbank, New York, New York
 * C. W. Murchison III, Dallas, Texas
 * W. Clement Stone, Lake Forest, Illinois.

Notable Members
Some notable members of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America


 * Denzel Washington
 * Jennifer Lopez
 * Ashanti
 * General Wesley Clark
 * Misty Copeland
 * John Paul DeJoria
 * Cuba Gooding Jr.
 * Earvin "Magic" Johnson
 * Jackie Joyner-Kersee
 * Sugar Ray Leonard
 * Mario Lopez
 * Ne-Yo
 * Edward James Olmos
 * Lucille O'Neal
 * Shaquille O'Neal
 * Smokey Robinson
 * CC Sabathia
 * Martin Sheen
 * Courtney B. Vance
 * Kerry Washington
 * Shaun White

Goals
The goals set forth by the Boys and Girls Clubs of America

Mission Statement:

To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

Core Beliefs:

The Boys & Girls Club aspire to provide all young people with a safe place to learn and grow, and establish ongoing relationships with caring, adult professionals by providing them with life enhancing programs and character development experiences.

Stratigeies
The stratigeies implemented by the Boys and Girls Clubs of America


 * Education & Career Programs:

These programs help youth create aspirations for the future, providing opportunities for career exploration and educational enhancement.


 * Character & Leadership Programs:

Helping youth become responsible, caring citizens and acquire skills for participating in the democratic process is the main thrust of these       programs. They also develop leadership skills and provide opportunities for planning, decision-making, contributing to Club and community and celebrating our national heritage.


 * Health & Life Skills:

These initiatives develop young people’s capacity to engage in positive behaviors that nurture their own well-being, set personal goals and live successfully as self-sufficient adults.


 * The Arts Programs:

Programs in this core area enable youth to develop their creativity and cultural awareness through knowledge and appreciation of the visual arts, crafts, performing arts and creative writing.


 * Sports, Fitness and Recreation:

These Club programs help develop fitness, a positive use of leisure time, reduction of stress, appreciation for the environment and social and interpersonal skills.


 * Specialized Programs:

These initiatives focus on meeting the significant and specific needs identified within Boys & Girls Clubs. Their broad scope complements several or all of our core program areas.

Facts and Figures
Information and statistics about the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

The Facts:

Unique characteristics of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America


 * Clubs are community based and building centered.


 * Clubs provide a safe affordable place for young people during non-school hours and summer vacation.


 * Clubs are led by paid trained youth development professionals

Boys and Girls Clubs of America provide young people with:


 * A safe learning environment.


 * Opportunities to build new skills that raise each child’s belief that he or she can succeed and receive recognition for personal  accomplishments.


 * Ongoing relationships with caring adults and connections to new friends in a positive environment, reinforcing a sense of belonging, personal accountability, civility and civic responsibility.


 * Generation-changing programs that support a commitment to learning, positive values, healthy habits and high expectations for success as an adult.

The Figures:

3,954 Chartered Clubs facilities, which include:


 * 1,265 in Schools


 * 356 BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. Military Installations


 * 316 in Public Housing

Age demographics of youth served:


 * 6% are 5 years old and under


 * 43% are 6-10 years old


 * 19% are 11-12 years old


 * 20% are 13-15 years old


 * 12% are 16 and older


 * 55% are male


 * 45% are female

Ethnicity of youth served:


 * Caucasian – 36%


 * African-American – 28%


 * Hispanic/Latino – 23%


 * Multi-racial – 7%


 * Asian-American – 3%


 * Native American – 3%